YunRay Chung is a Taiwanese artist currently based in New York City. Coming from a medical background in university, YunRay decided to move to the United States to study fashion design after he finished his Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Therapy in Taiwan. After two years of training in Los Angeles, YunRay got into the Fashion Institute of Technology pursuing the Master of Fine Art in Fashion Design, where he explored his multidisciplinary art journey.
Often YunRay uses second-hand garments deconstruction, performances, installation and films to tell the narratives of his vision. He uses his work to speak to social issues, but also human emotions and experiences. He uses a general guideline when researching for his art projects. He tends to research the topic in literature, science, sociology and psychology. After forming a more well-rounded point of view, he will start to build performances, which usually involve second-hand garments. He uses, interacts and changes the garments in a physical way, but also representing the emotions. After the performances he starts to build textiles, colors, shapes from the performances, then uses collages to finalize his garments' ideas.
"In a more general sense, I make clothes from performance art"
"My work always comes from emotions first. The performances, the stories, the movements, the second-hand garments I choose, they have to align with the emotions. The emotions have to be supported with intellect from researches and backstories, then the visual comes in, deciding the images and how they should look."
YunRays fashion design studies influence his work in making him more like a performance wearable artist than a fashion designer. "I ended up making performance art as my process and my research, and the clothing are just my side objects at the end. I usually use second-hand garments now as my fabric/canvas, and I tend to pick basic items like T-shirts, shirts, jeans, more work clothes like garments."
His background in physical therapy helps him with critical thinking and understanding the body.
"I understand how movements are made, how movements can be restricted, and the overall education just makes me more aware of my own body and help me read through research papers much easier."
Originally from Taiwan, YunRay has a positive sense of the art scene in his home country, "In Taiwan, the local art scene is quite interesting, it definitely has more Asian cultural influence. How people approach their subjects can have a bit more "zen". I also find in Taiwan the art sometimes can be cuter, but also a bit more approachable."
Currently YunRay is developing a new project and continues to focus on his art career with applying to grants and sponsors during 2020.
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